Branding 2.0 – Using Web 2.0 Principles to build an Open Source Brand

Abstract

This work proposes a new branding process that is inspired by and builds on the fundamental ideas behind the term Web 2.0. The paper shows how information systems can be designed to create value throughout the branding process by collecting and distributing user/consumer‐generated content that supports physical‐virtual artefacts. The paper follows the design‐science research guidelines provided by Hevner et al. (2004). It introduces the model of Branding 2.0 and a real‐world instantiation. Related cases are analyzed and compared to the instantiation to refine the model and extract implications for designing future branding applications. Finally, a note on possible business models demonstrates options for an implementation scenario.

Keywords:

• Web 2.0
• branding
• brand community
• physical‐virtual artefact
• user‐generated content
• open source brand

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the editors of this special issue, the anonymous reviewers for their help in refining the ideas in this article, and Robert D. St. Louis for his guidance and support.

Notes

1. In this paper, the term ‘Web 2.0’ is used to emphasize current phenomena such as web‐based communities, social networking sites, Wikis, etc.

2. As of 03/04/2007, Google.com returns only 11,300 result pages for ‘Branding 2.0’, while ‘Branding’ returns 64.3 million and ‘Web 2.0’ 84.1 million pages. Respectively, ‘Marketing 2.0’ returns 0.45 million result pages.

3. The author strongly believes that in order to succeed with brands in the future, practitioners will need a fundamental expertise in both IS and marketing areas. The current lack of these interdisciplinary professionals is already recognized as a problem as addressed in a 2006 Financial Times article (Van Duyn, A. ‘Web ads sector lacks experienced staff,’ FT.com, 08/29/2006, URL: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/e2a439cc‐378b‐11db‐bc01‐0000779e2340.html)

4. Brynjolffson et al. use the metaphor of the long tail for the vast number of products that attract only a small amount of customers each. Addressing these customers becomes easier and profitable using online markets. In the context of Branding 2.0, the long tail refers to a number of individual customers with non‐mainstream preferences. While these customers are hard to target with traditional marketing tools, Branding 2.0 can target this group very efficient and at low cost.

5. All citations not explicitly marked in the methodology section are taken from Hevner et al. (2004)

6. The paper discusses an appropriate evaluation technique for the instantiation; the evaluation itself and its results are not part of this paper.

7. At the time Cova and Pace reviewed the MyNutella.com application, there was not much interaction between users, since there were no appropriate tools (e.g. Messaging services) available inside the application. Cova and Pace conclude that limited interaction between users leads to a smaller probability that consumers would take over controlling the brand's meaning and that the company can control this process by allowing users only a predetermined level of interaction.

8. This can also be illustrated the other way round, e.g. a negative image connected to a product is very likely to influence the image of the brand as a whole.

9. Sample user entries are attached in the appendix. For more information, visit http://www.used.co.at.

10. Clothes have been chosen because of symbolic reasons: Clothes already act as a social information medium that carries information about its user and allows for self‐expression. The application exaggerates this effect to create more awareness regarding these particular capabilities of fashion.

11. The Prada project does not feature an online community nor user‐generated content, but is closely (and exclusively) tied to a brand. Furthermore, it features a notable execution of a virtual‐physical artifact and is therefore included in the selection.

12. At the time of Cova and Pace's observations (2006), tools for interaction were limited. As of 2007, MyNutella.com features various messaging services

13. Mattel press release, 08/08/2007, http://www.shareholder.com/mattel/news/20070808‐258871.cfm

14. http://www.google.com/adsense